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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24073657">Too trusting..</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ashenekko/pseuds/Ashenekko'>Ashenekko</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Original Work</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Backstory, Betrayal, Character Death, F/M, Fantasy, Heavy Angst, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Murder, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Sad Ending, Swearing, Tragedy, Tragic Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:20:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,860</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24073657</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ashenekko/pseuds/Ashenekko</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A happy family of five, unknowing of their future.<br/>(My first short story to try out writing publicly instead of just to myself)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Original Female Character/Original Male Character</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Too trusting..</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>English is not my mother tongue so if there are mistakes, please point them out.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Joyous screams rang through the gardens, accompanied by merry laughter.<br/>A mother, warm and gentle in both stature and expression sat on a carved stone bench with an embroidery hoop in her hands.<br/>A needle, laden with glittering string expertly went in and out of the dark fabric, pale eyes to reflect the threads occasionally glancing up at a fond scene with an ever-present smile. Two identical boys and a little girl were running around in a small clearing of a garden that was blooming with desert greenery. The slighter of the boys, faster on his feet, was jumping up and over the scattered stones with a grin, whilst chased by his brother with his toddler sister on his back, all three of them the source of the ruckus, laughing as loud as they were able. A simple childish game of chase, but just enough to entertain the siblings, who looked to be having the time of their lives. The domestic scene was only missing their father, who usually accompanied his wife, watching her embroider with an attentiveness like he was trying to learn himself. </p><p>A large palace loomed behind them of glass and pale marble, of bulging roofs and sloping walls. An elegant diadem on mother's twists and curls of dark brown hair bespoke of the exact heritage of her and her children. Though, no one paid attention to how <em>quiet</em> the area around them, which was always bustling with life, was. <br/>A sudden rustle of bushes and rapid clicks of shoes hitting granite below disturbed the warm scene just as the two siblings tackled their other. rolling in the grass with giggles and shrieks. </p><p>"AYDA!" their mother turned her head at the sound of her name, watching a man rushing towards them, clad in pale armour to contrast his skin and blood dripping from it. Twin scimitars in hand, something dark being flicking off them, he had a panicked look on his face. Immediately abandoning her work, the hoop tumbling down just beside the bench, sun catching the silvers thread depicting a snarling wolf, she stood, gathering her skirts and meeting him halfway.<br/>"What happened, why are yo-" she clasped his face in her hands, trying to make him look at her and to find out the reason for such an expression on his handsome, usually amused. face, but was quickly cut off. <br/>"Did anyone come here? Anyone at <em>all</em>?" he was looking past her, harlequin green eyes searching for the children that were lying in the grass, looking up to their parents with confusion, suddenly quiet.<br/>"No, no, no one. Haylen" she forcefully turned his head to look at her. "Talk to me. What is it?"<br/>"An ambush" he sighed "Men are holding them off at the entrance. We don't know when they came, but we're too late, they're at the door." He dropped his blade, grasping her wrists tightly "As soon as I say, I will need you to take the children and <em>run.</em><em> Don't </em>argue with me." Leaning down, he pressed his forehead against his wife's, closing his eyes to avoid witnessing her tears nor the argument that started brewing in her throat. "I <em>love you. </em>I love our kids more than life itself. So by the Almighty, we need to <em>go."  </em>He pulled, smiling lightly with pride as Ayda swallowed, nodding with determination. </p><p>She pulled back, twisting to see the kids slowly getting up from rolling around in the grass. With a fragile smile, she called out. "Kylaen, Keyleth, bring Rina quickly. We must go!"<br/>"Did something happen?" Their smiles were erased, Kylaen passing their sister to Ayda, who shushed the whimpering girl lovingly. <br/>Haylen knelt down before his sons, who looked at him with identical expressions of too mature worry out of the same shade of eyes just as his. <br/>"I won't lie to you. There are the worst of mankind, traitors and murderers without a cause, bringing down our doors" He clenched his teeth as the twins started shooting rapid-fire questions at him. "We know who, but we don't know why it's one of our that betrayed our trust." That silenced them immediately and he stood up, picking his scimitars in a loose grip by his sides, ushering them to their mother's side, guiding all of them out the garden to the side entrance of it. </p><p>Haylen opened his mouth but a loud scream interrupted him, a body falling from above them. An armored guard, or rather what was left of him, landed with a loud thud, scraps of armor barely hanging on, blood pooling below his ruined body immediately. Already, there was running in their direction, loud and chaotic. <br/>"Shit." He hissed, pulling his family back. "They know where I am. You have to go inside" <br/>"No!" With Rina's head tucked into her neck, hidden behind strands of hair, Ayda protested with wild eyes. "The palace is seized! We need to just run! My father will take us in!" She gripped Haylen's sleeve in desperation. "Please...Don't sacrifice yourself." She shook with suppressed sobs as her husband only smiled with mirth. <br/>"Are you going to die?" A timid voice came from beside them, both of the adults turning their heads to see their twins clutching the hands of each other, pressed closely together. <br/>Haylen breathed out a choked sob, smile falling, reaching out and bringing them close to himself "I'll see you again, okay? Protect each other." Crouching down before them, he took each of their faces in shaking hands. "You are my legacy, my pride and my joy" Tears fell freely now down all three of their faces. "And no matter what happens today, you will always be. Okay?" Both of them nodded, lurching forward to clutch their father in a breathtaking hug. "I love you, no matter what." He whispered, pressing his lips against each head of dark hair, looking past them as a large gathering of men approached. <br/>In one swift move, he had his family pushed behind him, blades clutched now tightly and yelling for them to go. <br/>"Forever and always, oscen?" Ayda turned to him the very last moment, caressing his face, glancing frantically behind him.<br/>"I'll see you there." A quick kiss to his wife's lips and he was pushing her away, watching as she took their kids inside. Turning around, he brandished his weapons with a snarl. "If I'm going down, I'm taking as many of you as I fucking can with me." Charging at them just like they did at him, he let go of all his propriety as the Emperor and fell into a bloody dance of death.</p><p>Ayda ran with all her might, ignoring the distancing screams behind them and keeping her twins before her. Taking any and all shortcuts and passageways she knew of to get out the main halls of the palace, her mind distinctly reminisced of them being so full of joy, but now stained with blood and screams of the dying. Resisting the wild urge to turn back, to convince her idiotic, self-sacrificing husband to escape, she pushed everyone into a remote room, breathing heavily with the added weight of carrying Rina. Leaning against the door, she motioned to the room, mouthing to the twins to bring anything to press against the door behind her. <br/>There was no sound, no scream or a shuffle outside the room...But not for long. Jostling and running clearly agitated the small toddler that Ayda was carrying, revving Rina up enough to let out a loud cry.<br/>"Hush, leyle, hush..." Ayda cooed, the twins taking over her place as she pushed herself off it, starting to pace. Rocking her up and down, she crushed the ugly, desperate urge to clamp her daughter's mouth shut, pressing her tightly against herself, soft coos leaving her lips. Quiet, quiet song escaped, barely heard into Rina's ear, in hopes of her quietening down and it, indeed, worked like a charm. Soon, it was peaceful again, making all of them breathe out sighs of relief. </p><p>Then, there was banging and kicking against the door, yelling from behind them, making the child cry again. <br/>"Go!" She yelled in a whisper, pushing the twins towards a wall, leaving the door only barricaded with few measle pieces of furniture. Hooking her hand on the edge of the wall, she heaved, revealing a hollow opening. Waving for them to crawl in, she pressed a kiss to Ky's, then Key's foreheads as they passed her. "You will be safe here until it all passes, okay?" She whispered over the ruckus, smiling as they started protesting, already seeing where this was going. "Your father and I love you very, <em>very</em> much, my loves" Just as she moved to unlatch Rina's grip from her clothes and hair, the door fell with a resonating bang, barely giving her enough time to close the fake wall panel, ending up with Rina still with her in her panic. <br/><br/>Turning swiftly, pressing against the wall of the palace that now kept her sons safe, her eyes widened. Betrayal unlike any other ran through her veins, making her breathless. <br/>"Why...Why are you doing this, Vysten?!" Gathering herself, she glared at the men before, though only recognizing one, all five of them with sick grins on their faces. <br/>"My utmost apologies, dear Empress..." The obvious leader of the small group, Vysten, slowly strode forward, approaching Ayda with a smile. Though it quickly fell as he growled. "For trying to free this piece of shit continent of its incapable rulers, who give away their resources to any measly country that begs pretty enough." The man gestured around wildly, continuing his rant "You have all of this!" Breathing heavily, his closeness to Ayda washed her face in rancid air, making her close her eyes with a grimace "And you give it away with a flick of your wrist like it doesn't matter"<br/>"With your armies, with our prowess, Solverein could an Empire OF THE ENTIRE OF THE WORLD!" The man had a glint in his eye that spoke of nothing sane being left in his mind. He placed both of his hands on either side of her head, watching with a grin as she clutched her daughter tighter to herself. "Aww...Afraid of me, dear <em>sister?</em>" <br/>"I'm not afraid...I'm <em>furious</em>" She hissed, eyes previously closed snapping open, spitting in his face. "You came here, slaughtered <em>my</em> people, based on your own <em>sick delUSION?!</em>" <br/>Vysten grimaced, wiping his face "To put you and your good-for-nothing husband in YOUR FUCKING PLACE!" His hand reached back, backhanding Ayda with brute force, enough for her to fall.  <br/>She carefully maneuvered Rina, who now was only letting out quiet, although heavy sobs, to not take the impact of the fall, wincing as she hit the ground. Swiftly turning, she put her daughter behind herself, covering her with her own body.<br/>"<em>YOU</em> WERE NEVER SUPPOSED TO BE <em>THE FUCKING EMPRESS</em>. YOUR <em>SPAWNS</em> NEVER SHOULD HAVE EVEN BEEN A THOUGHT" He was standing above and with one fell swoop, kicked her hard enough to the side for something to crack and her to let out a small whimper. A barely audible sound distracted him, making him turn to the wall from where it came, but a sharp pain to his ankle quickly brought his attention back to Ayda who had her teeth in skin with a glare.<br/>"You goddamn bitch!" Reaching down, he grabbed her by the neck, lifting her up in the air "Just like your trice damned mutt..." he smirked as Ayda stopped her struggling, looking at him in shock. "Why do you think neither of those beasts were with your dear husband?" Tears fell down her face, but she refused to give her brother any more satisfaction in breaking down, resuming her kicking and clawing. <br/>He sighed, tightening his grip on her neck to make her choke "This is getting boring...get the kid" He motioned to the whimpering and crawling towards Ayda toddler, making the woman let out a bloodcurdling scream. He swiftly slammed her to the ground, choking her with both hands "Oh, now we're having fun~!"</p><p>"NO, NO, DON'T TAKE HER. DON'T TAKE MY BABY!" She thrashed like a wild animal, hoarse voice struggling to escape her throat, just like she struggled to escape the hands that started ripping at her clothes. Through her tears, Ayda tried to catch a glimpse of her daughter, who had started screaming like a captured animal, high pitched and pained. "LEAVE HER ALONE." Only laughter all around greeted her ears, her trashing not doing her an ounce of good before the screaming was suddenly cut off, just like Ayda ceased her actions like a puppet whose strings her cut off. A wet splatter and thunk, followed by few others sounded, falling just like Ayda's tears that enabled her vision to clear up. Laughter still ringing in her ears, she watched her daughter, her precious child of barely past her first few summers, barely having lived, being ripped to pieces like a piece of meat by savages. </p><p>And she prayed that the two other remaining pieces of her heart, barely holding itself together, wouldn't play heroes, that they understood that she needed them hidden, that <em>Solverein</em> needed them to stay put and stay quiet.</p><p>Numbness started spreading from the tips of her toes up to her now bared legs and the rest of her body. Slowly turning her head with wide eyes to look up at the man she used to call brother between her parted legs, who had eyes closed in pleasure, the other four men standing around them with bloody hands. Before any of them could react, she reached up, clutching Vystens shoulders, lurching up and blunt teeth dug into his neck with brutality only found in frenzied animals, mercilessly tearing and ripping, barely human. A scream sounded in her ears as her teeth were joined by her nails, ignoring the hands suddenly pushing her away, stuck to her brother like a leech. She, dissociated and barely hearing anything, reminisced of her husband, her dear Haylen, who had quietly instructed her on such barbarian techniques with a smirk at a ball they both attended in their younger years, ignoring her gasps of mortification despite her flushed face from his face so close and arms around her waist, not an ounce of shame in his voice.<br/>Ignoring the taste of iron and the rising levels of pain, she tore at anything and anyone that touched her, even once she started to feel her energy slowly seeping from her, just like her vision had started swimming. With arms barely stronger than branches of a young tree, she slumped, watching as her brother dropped beside her, a bloody dagger falling and clattering to the ground from his hands. It made her move her own to her midriff, finding a gaping wound from her abdomen to her stomach and she turned back to Vysten, smiling as he looked at her with glazed eyes, body going into shock and bleeding out heavily. Footsteps rapidly left the room, leaving only them inside. <br/>With the last dregs of her energy, she dragged herself to the remains of her daughter, howling cries escaping her throat, not dissimilar to a mourning wolf as she curled herself around them, cursing and crying. She knew these were her last moments, knew it from the moment the men entered the room, leaving no escape. <br/>Ears barely registering the sound of a creaking panel sliding open and whispering cries greeting her, small hands clutching and shaking her, she breathed out her last sigh, turning her head to gaze upon the greens of her sons, her two precious boys, the last through in her head thanking whoever was listening that they had each other as her vision fell dark, head hitting the ground with a dull thud, making the diadem that was still perched onto her head clatter noisily against the flooring.<br/>A pool of blood rapidly increased below her, soaking the remains of her dress clinging to her waist and bathing the floor in blossoming crimson.<br/>Sudden quiet had enveloped the room, leaving only the twins hiding their cries in each other's shoulders in a far corner of it, and cooling bodies of their mother, sister, and uncle turned traitor. Night had approached, but the boys still haven't moved, even when torchlight entered the area, shining bright orange onto the gruesome scene. Gasps and grasping hands made the kids scream in terror, only to be hushed and consoled, the familiar voices of their servants greeting them, shaky and fearful. They were urged out of the room by a slight woman that clutched them close, other remaining to deal with their murdered Empress and her daughter. There were no words exchanged between the three, and as the twins looked up at her with question in their eyes, she only shook her head with tears in her eyes, clearly recognizing what they wanted to know.<br/>They both only looked ahead, tears falling down stony expression, ignoring the sound of the woman suppressing her sobs and her shaking hands. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Criticism is very welcome, but please only constructive.<br/>My very very first one chapter story.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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